The present invention relates to quick connector assemblies and, more particularly, to quick connector assemblies having female housings with ramped surfaces adapted to receive hair pin type retaining pins to retain male fittings within the housings.
In manufacturing fields, such as automotive, trucks, or the like, it is customary to employ quick disconnect devices to connect conduits or the like together. While conduits, such as piping, can be connected in a variety of ways, which include threaded couplings for efficient assembly of the mechanisms, it is desirable to have available a fluid coupling which can be attached very expeditiously but which at the same time, once attached, is substantially fail safe. Various types of couplings have been provided to be utilized in connecting of conduits.
These couplings are illustrated by the following U.S. patents. They are U.S. Pat. Nos. 951,283 issued to P. Krischer on Mar. 8, 1910; 2,021,241 issued to A. W. Mall on Nov. 19, 1935; 2,535,016 issued to J. M. Launder on Dec. 19, 1950; 2,772,898 issued to H. W. K. Sealer on Dec. 4, 1956; 3,121,583 issued to C. A. Damm on Feb. 8, 1984; 3,149,362 issued to C. B. Smithson on Sept. 22, 964; 3,154,327 issued to R. D. Rothschild on Oct. 27, 964; 3,215,455 issued to E. J. H. Fiala et al on Nov. 2, 1965; 3,268,260 issued to A. Snipe on Aug. 23, 1966; 3,314,696 issued to G. R. Ferguson et al on Apr. 18, 1967; 3,450,424 issued to J. V. Calisher on June 17, 1969; 3,471,186 issued to W. K. Luebbert et al on Oct. 7, 1969; 3,490,795 issued to G. Hennlich on Jan. 20, 1970; 3,534,988 issued to J. W. Lindsey on Oct. 20, 1970; 3,538,940 issued to C. H. Graham on Nov. 10, 1970; 3,584,902 issued to G. N. Vyse on June 15, 1971; 3,637,240 issued to E. Meier on Jan. 25, 1972; 3,698,747 issued to Wing et al on Oct. 17, 1972; 3,753,582 issued to C. H. Graham on Aug. 21, 1973; 3,767,234 issued to Weirich et al on Oct. 23, 1973; 3,842,870 issued to W. R. Burgess on Oct. 22, 1974; 3,973,791 issued to Porta et al on Aug. 10, 1976; 4,234,262 issued to Nakai et al on Nov. 18, 1980; 4,260,184 issued to Greenawalt et al on Apr. 7, 1981; 4,423,891 issued to W. H. Menges on Jan. 3, 1984; 4,431,218 issued to Paul, Jr. et al on Feb. 14, 1984; 4,524,995 issued to D. D. Bartholomew on June 25, 1985; 4,537,427 issued to H. M. Cooke on Aug. 27, 1985; 4,570,980 issued to S. H. Goward on Feb. 18, 1986; 4,772,052 issued to E. W. Morain on Sept. 20, 1988.
In several of the above patents, the retaining clip is positioned onto the housing after the male conduit has been inserted. Thus, the retainer functions as a staple or the like to retain the conduits together.
While the above patents appear to perform satisfactorily for their intended purpose, designers are always striving to improve the field.
The present invention provides the art with a hair pin style retainer which has flexible legs enabling spreading of the retainer legs to provide for insertion and removal of the male conduits. The legs also retain the male conduits within the housing after insertion. The retainer remains on the housing at all times during insertion and removal of the male conduits. Also, the present invention provides the art with a female housing having a pair of slots defining ramped surfaces in the housing wall. The ramped surfaces enable the hair pin style retainer to move or slide along the ramped surfaces, within the slots, to enable insertion and removal of the male conduit.
From the following detailed description and preferred embodiment of the present invention, other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.